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News

This Week in Farm to School: 9/19/17

NFSN StaffTuesday, September 19, 2017

Every week, we share opportunities, action items and a selection of media stories that relate to the farm to school movement. To submit an item for consideration, send us an email. To be considered, content should be of national interest to the farm to school community.

Grants & Funding1. NIFA Announcement
The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced $945,400 in available funding to help foster the next generation of multicultural scholars in agricultural sciences. Funding is made through NIFA’s Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP). The deadline for applications is October 31, 2017. See the request for applications for details.

Webinars1. NFSN WEBINAR Growing Opportunities: Farm to School Benefits to Farmers and ProducersSeptember 20 // 2-3pm ET
Join the National Farm to School Network to learn about farm to school’s opportunities and benefits for farmers and producers. Catch a sneak peak of the National Farm to School Network’s forthcoming case studies on the economic impacts of farm to school, and hear firsthand experiences and tips from farmers in the movement. This webinar is generously sponsored by CoBank. Register here.
2. NFSN WEBINAR Advocacy in Action: 2017 Farm to School Policy OpportunitiesSeptember 21 // 2-3pm ET
Join the National Farm to School Network to learn about current federal legislative activities and state policy efforts that are advancing opportunities for the expansion of farm to school in K-12 and early care education settings nationwide. Register here.

3. The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model: Resources to Guide ImplementationSeptember 21 // 1:00-2:00pm ET
This webinar will introduce a new resource that has been developed to support implementation of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model in schools and school districts. Presenters will provide implementation strategies for use in schools and school districts, and describe the steps that schools can take to move the WSCC model from theory to practice. Register here.

4. How Regional Food System Investment Creates More Equitable CommunitiesSeptember 21 // 3:30-5pm
Wallace Center and the National Good Food Network (NGFN) will be hosting this webinar. Speakers will discuss the role that food business incubators, food hubs, and financial institutions can do to integrate social equity into food systems projects and programs. Register here.

Events1. NEW National Calendar of Farm to School Events
The National Farm to School Network is pleased to share a new national calendar of farm to school events, conferences and networking opportunities. Additional events will be added on an ongoing basis. Submit your farm to school event to the calendar by clicking the green "Submit Event" button. To be considered, events should be open to the public and specifically related to farm to school content. View the calendar here: farmtoschool.org/events

2. October is National Farm to School Month
National Farm to School month is right around the corner! The National Farm to School Network has free resources, planning materials, activity ideas and a new calendar of events for ways you can get involved in October. Visit farmtoschool.org/month to start planning.
3. Mississippi Farm to Cafeteria ConferenceOctober 12 // Jackson, MS
The Mississippi Farm to Cafeteria Conference brings farm to school practitioners and future practitioners together from across the state and region to share, learn, and help grow the farm to school movement. Register here.

4. Rhodes Island Farm to School ConferenceOctober 21 // URI Campus
“The conference is designed to empower educators to meet their academic goals by engaging students in outdoor classrooms,” said Cabaniss. “We’ve brought together school garden experts to inspire and support educators in garden-based learning. It will be an interactive experience, with participants involved in hands-on activities and idea sharing.” Learn more.

5. Community Food Systems Conference 2017December 5-7 // Boston, MA
This conference will address common underlying themes between food security, social justice and sustainable agriculture including obstacles in urban and rural environments and fostering community empowerment to create and sustain resilient local food systems. Registration is now open!

6. Campus Farmer Summit: "What's Growing on your campus?"February 10, 2018 // Easton, MA
The Farm at Stonehill is pleased to be partner with Farm to Institution New England and the Vela Foundation to host this inaugural gathering of the campus farmer community in New England. This one-day summit will be participatory in nature and may result in the establishment of a more official “Campus Farmer Network” if this is deemed a priority by attendees. Learn more.

Resources1.HEAL School of Political Leadership (SoPL)
SoPL is a new training program exclusive to HEAL member and ally organizations. Over the next year, SoPL will prepare a class of emerging leaders from our community to drive transformative political change in our food and farm systems. And we want someone from your organization to step into this leadership. Learn more and apply.
2. Wasted: The Story of Food Waste
This movie aims to change the way people buy, cook, recycle, and eat food. Audiences will see how several of the world’s most influential chefs make the most of every kind of food, transforming what most people consider scraps into incredible dishes that create a more secure food system. Check out the movie trailer.

Job Opportunities1. Executive Director, Grow Dat Youth Farm
Grow Dat Youth Farm seeks an Executive Director with a demonstrated commitment to social justice and experience growing nonprofit organizations. Grow Dat is a youth leadership development organization in New Orleans, LA with the mission to nurture a diverse group of young leaders through the meaningful work of growing food. Learn more and apply.
2. Farm Operations Manager, Center for Environmental Farming Systems
CEFS is seeking a Farm Operations Manager. This position will plan and manage the implementation of production, research, and field demonstrations at the Small Farm Unit of CEFS. Apply here.
3. Farm to School Consultant Coordinator, Intermediate School District
The Farm to School Consultant Coordinator will oversee 4 AmeriCorps VISTA members, to implement programming supporting the development of a school culture of health in schools served by the ISD. The Coordinator will integrate farm to school lessons and activities with state curriculum standards, and support school food service directors in their efforts to serve more healthful, locally grown foods. Apply here.

Farm to School in the NewsSt. Louis students eating up farm to cafeteria
For the last several years, one St. Louis area school district has been feeding students produce that comes fresh from the fields. Staff in the Eureka High School kitchen cut up massive watermelons brought in that morning. Just a couple hours earlier, a forklift at the Rockwood School District’s warehouse was pulling that load of melons off the back of John Kopmann’s pick-up truck. (CBS St. Louis)

Alaska students' spuds sale
From the classroom to the garden, the students at Soldotna Montessori Charter School have been hard at work growing, picking and cleaning a selection of produce to sell at today’s farmers market. “We have kale, potatoes, lots of stuff,” said fourth-grader Caitlyn Miller. “We don’t have carrots, though, they were a bust.” (Peninsula Clarion)